News

Irish Prison-Break Drama, MAZE, Now Available on DVD and Blue-Ray

Posted: 22nd January 2018

Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK presents the Irish box-office hit, Stephen Burke’s critically acclaimed MAZE, which achieved the biggest opening weekend of any Irish film in Ireland and Northern Ireland since Room in January 2016. The film opened without previews to over €141k (£124k) after its release, Friday 22nd September 2017, on 65 screens (between ROI and NI) and hitting number 3 in the Irish box office chart. The film ran for ten weeks, spending five of these in the Irish top ten, and achieved a box office of over one million dollars (€864,299) in that time. It was the number one Irish release of 2017 in both the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland. In January, Maze was nominated for four IFTA awards, Best Screenplay, Best Actor – Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Best Supporting Actor – Barry Ward, and Best Score – Stephen Rennicks.

Following MAZE’s robust theatrical release, the critically acclaimed film will now be available on DVD and Blu-ray from 22 January 2018.

Based on the true story of the 1983 mass breakout of 38 IRA prisoners from HMP Maze high-security prison in Northern Ireland. As Larry Marley (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), the chief architect of the escape, schemes his way towards pulling off this feat, he comes into contact with prison warder, Gordon Close (Barry Ward). Initially Larry and Gordon are confirmed enemies, born on opposite sides of Northern Ireland’s political divide, but when Larry realises that Gordon may be unwittingly useful for his escape plan, a slow seduction begins. Larry intends to use and manipulate Gordon in order to get closer to his goal but what follows is a tense, and intriguing drama in which an unlikely relationship is forged between two enemies that will have far reaching consequences for both of them.

Produced by Jane Doolan and Brendan J Byrne, MAZE was financed by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, RTÉ, the BAI, Film Vast, Windmill Lane, Cork regional funding and Irish tax incentives for the film industry.